GadgetReview

While I’ll reserve my judement on sound quality until I get my hands on one of what Vestalife calls their ‘iconic’ speakers system, their latest line of bug inspired speaker systems do posses an attractive facade that will get most performing a head turn.

The Ladybug II is an upgrade version of their first Ladybug and adds better electronics, stronger bass and a ported subwoofer. …Continue reading: Vetsalife Bug Speaker Systems Aren’t Creepy In The Slightest

In a land where product names have nothing to do with anything, Yubz reigns supreme.  Put the word Magnum next to Yubz and now you’re onto something.

The Yubz Magnum is a wireless speaker that will connect to any BlueTooth device.  The Magnum is capable of playing music as well as acting as a hands-free loudspeaker for your cell phone.

Resembling a “pleather” meat log of sorts, the Yubz Magnum is a cylindrical device with speakers on both ends.  It feels really nice actually, and is soft and lightweight. …Continue reading: Yubz Magnum BlueTooth Speaker Review

There’s a startup company out there called Backyard Brains, run by a pair of neuroscientists who are marketing a piece of equipment they designed and built themselves called the SpikerBox.  And when you hear what this thing can do, you might be interested in becoming a shade tree neuroscientist yourself.

So what does a SpikerBox do?  Well, basically…it lets you read the minds of insects.

With a SpikerBox, you can effectively “eavesdrop” on the patterns of neurons firing in a bug’s mind by inserting metal probes into that insect’s leg.  The probes then transmit back data on the bug’s neural activity, called “spikes”, which can then be translated into sounds you can hear on the device’s onboard speaker or seen on your PC.

Admittedly, there’s not a whole lot of practical use for the SpikerBox, but it’s still a pretty sweet idea.  You ever read the mind of  a bug before?  SpikerBox is counting on your desire to do exactly that, and they’re looking for grant funding right now.

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I really hope this item doesn’t cause an uproar at the airport, though I’m sure some fool will whip this out and say “what do you think of my bomb” once on board.  For those of you who like to share what’s on you iPod or iPhone with strangers and friends without swapping earwax you might want to give this bomb a looksy.

The fuse is your input jack and the little bomb speaker has a internal rechargeable battery that will last for 4 hours.  Since it is powered I’m guessing it might not sound like total crap.  On sale now for $22.

[via CoolestGadgets]

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I may be the only musician that is a proficient guitar player but who really sucks at all things Rock Band and Guitar Hero.  I just played Beatles Rock Band a week or so ago and was just horrible.  Oddly enough, while I couldn’t make it through a song on guitar on medium, I did manage to complete one on the drums.

To sprinkle some fairy dust on the “living vicarious through” Guitar Hero and Rock Band dreamscape, comes Altec Lansing’s Stage Gig Mini-Monitor Speaker.

For anyone who has seen live music beyond the coffee house acoustic jam will have noticed speakers on the stage that face the musicians.  These are called monitors and they give the musician a sense of how they are sounding.

For $100 each, you can really outfit your living room like a live sound stage with as many of these as you can afford.  I guess Altec Lansing’s though was that 5.1 or even 2.1 sound can be sacrificed for the feeling you’ll get when you throw a leg up on one of these.

[via JoyStiq]

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Finding the perfect iPod speaker system can be a daunting task at best.  With so many choices to choose from and seemingly hundreds of new brands emerging all over the place, it can end up being quite the process.  What most docks have forgotten however, is old media.  While some of us may have totally abandoned CD’s, there are probably more than a handful of us that still use them here and there, depending on the scenario.  I actually still use CD’s when taking a shower using and old CD player boombox I’ve had for over a decade stuffed on a shelf in my bathroom. …Continue reading: JVC UX-LP5 iPod/CD Player Stereo System Review

I’m loving Sonos’ new Sonos ZonePlayer S5.  It’s a tad on the pricey side, but what is lost in affordability is gained in pure simplicity and quality.  The device connects to your Internet and can play 1000s of Internet radio stations, stream the most popular of music services (Pandora, Last.fm, Napster, etc) and pull music directly from your computer’s iTunes library.  It’s also compatible with Apple’s wireless Time Capsule hard drive, which means your computer doesn’t even have to be turned on to access your tunes.

And like Apple’s commercial says, there is ‘an app for that’.  Sonos’ S5 can be controlled via the iPhone or iPod Touch.  In fact, that appears to be the only way to operate this WiFi infuzed, music streaming device (aside from other Sonos hardware or computer software).  So if you don’t have one of those, well, you can just forget about the S5.  The Sonos app let’s you control multiple S5s, allowing you to play different music through each speaker system or sync them all up and adjust volume individually.

Under the hood are 5 speakers: two tweeters, two mid-range drivers and a built-in single subwoofer – each individually powered by a dedicated digital amplifier.

The Sonos ZonePlayer S5 will be available October 27th for $399.

…Continue reading: Sonos’ S5 Wireless Speaker System Is Built For The iPhone (video)

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got an old cell phone or two laying around the house and you’re about dying to get rid of it.  But you’ve got no idea where or how to dump it.  We all know there are loads of hazardous material laws to grapple with, and those collection drives expect you to pay to dump your hardware.

Enter the EcoATM, a device the size of an actual ATM that’ll let you dump your hardware quick, easy, and sometimes, profitably.  Simply drop your old phone or other device into the EcoATM’s slot, and the machine will determine if it has any value.  The machine will then make you an offer for the device, which it will pay off from a separate slot, usually in the form of a gift card.

What if your device is worthless, you say?  Not a problem–there’s no such thing as a worthless device to the EcoATM.  Even if it has no residual value, you’ll still be able to leave the device with the EcoATM, but you’ll also get a “freebie item”, plus EcoATM will arrange for a tree to be planted in your honor somewhere, which still beats having to pay off the collection people all hollow.

EcoATM is actually doing pretty well so far–its first day in operation netted 23 phones and passed out a full hundred bucks in gift cards.  Word is it got a BlackBerry Curve in prime condition.  So chances are, this prototype will likely be coming to an electronics store near you.

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Thanko doesn’t exactly have a good record when it comes to their gadgets, folks, but here’s an exciting piece of news–apparently their MP4 viewer is coming to be regarded as a solid buy!

Now that’s exciting enough as it is–it’s almost like saying “Man, this fried cockroach tastes delicious!”–but not only will this little item, the DIGITAL MP4 AudioPlayer AV, play your MP4 videos, but it also serves as a digital camera.  It has 8GB of onboard memory, with miniSD cards fully supported, even if they only work with Microsoft XP and Microsoft Vista.

Moreover, it also includes a 4.3-inch screen, a mini remote, two mini speakers and an estimated battery life of four to six hours, making this one of the most portable media viewers ever.  Thanko is already selling this device to Japanese customers–word is that the English store will be selling it soon, in case you want to take the chance that this is Thanko’s best product ever.

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Approaching a very DIY aesthetic, these new Lacie Sound2 Speakers are ready for compliments from your friends about how tight your set-up looks.  Designed by Neil Poulton, the speakers are specifically angled for computer use but can still be hooked up to a wide range of audio and video components.

Taking design cues from acoustic engineering company Cabasse’s loudspeaker technology, this system is capable of banging out 30 Watts at peak loudness.  Included is an integrated USB cord and will sell for around $142.  Where’s the dedicated sub I ask?  Now available at Lacie’s website.

[via UberGizmo]

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